Dear Colleagues,

It's with a heavy heart that I share news that Anita Oberholster, professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, passed away on Jan. 11 after a long battle with cancer.

Anita was truly a leader in her field, recognized the world over for her research and extension work in support of the wine industry.  An innovator in addressing the most pressing issues facing California wineries, Anita was perhaps best known for her research on detecting and mitigating smoke taint from wildfires and countering red blotch disease in grapevines.

A native of South Africa, Anita was recognized in 2024 by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson with an American Dream Award for Yolo...